Giroud has been in superb form of late, netting a hat-trick in the crunch Champions League victory over Olympiakos before setting the Gunners on their way to a 2-0 weekend win at Aston Villa.

Former player Henry felt his compatriot was the game’s outstanding player at Villa Park, and pinpointed a key aspect of his game which he admires.

"For me, he was man of the match," Henry said. "I like his all-round play and his work-rate. We all know he can hold the ball well up front and he does it with ease at times. He can hold the ball, flick it, and will also do the dirty work.”

"He's always available, that's one thing I like with him. He will always ask for the ball.”

Many pundits and observers have often questioned Giroud’s ability, no more so than Henry who previously stated, in comments published by the Mirror, that Arsenal cannot win the title with the Frenchman leading the line.

But the former Montpellier man is proving his critics wrong, scoring 14 goals in all competitions this season including goals against Bayern Munich and Olympiakos on the biggest stage.

Giroud may not be blessed with blistering pace or tricky footwork, but he offers Arsenal something they simply do not have when he is absent and that is a focal point up front.

Alexis Sanchez, Aaron Ramsey and Mesut Ozil seemingly play better knowing they have a pivot to work around, and results suggest the same too with Giroud’s win percentage very high.

Tom Thorogood

I'm a 27 year old language teacher and writer based out in Mexico with a passion for football and swimming. I like to focus on the top European Leagues, especially La Liga, as well as the footballing development in Central and South America. My favourite teams include Derby County, Barcelona and Jagaures de Chiapas.